ABSTRACT
Key points 97 Bibliography 98 Further reading 101
The growth of primary and metastatic tumours determines the clinical course of malignant disease. Tumour growth results from a disturbed tissue homeostasis, driven by functional capabilities acquired during tumourigenesis. These acquired capabilities include self-sufficiency in growth signals, insensitivity to anti-growth signals, limitless proliferative potential, evading apoptosis, and sustained angiogenesis (Hanahan and Weinberg, 2000). The speed of growth, or the growth rate, varies considerably between different tumours because of differences in cell proliferation and cell loss.
